Oceans are taking more heat than expected due to climate change

Oceans are taking more heat than expected due to climate change

The amount of heat taken up by the oceans in the recent years has been a lot more than what was expected. In past 25 years, studies suggest that the oceans have taken 60% more heat than in the past years.

According to the experts, this means that our planet is becoming more sensitive to emissions from fossil fuel than it was expected. Therefore, the things can get difficult as we proceed on and keeping the global warming in check is becoming harder and harder.

As per the most recent major assessment by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, the oceans around us soak more and more heat, 90% of which is because of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases.

With the latest study, it turns out that in past 25 years, about 150 times more energy is being taken as compared to what we are using to generate electricity globally. It is 60% more than the expectations and is certainly a BIG PROBLEM.

The predictions by the scientists are based on how much the Earth is warming as the time passes by and how much it adds up to the overall heat. This excess heat is produced by greenhouse gases and these gases are as the result of the activities of individuals on earth.

This latest calculation is a great view of how much more heat we are producing and how the oceans are soaking up a lot more heat than expected. It also refers to the fact that we are generating far more heat than what we predicted as the result of warming gases emitted by humans, which leads to oceans soaking it up and having adverse effect on it.

According to the lead author of the report, Dr Laure Resplandy, from Princeton University in New Jersey, it is a primary concern for all of us.

“If you look at the IPCC 1.5C, there are big challenges ahead to keep those targets, and our study suggests it’s even harder because we close the window for those lower pathways.”

“A warmer ocean will hold less oxygen, and that has implications for marine ecosystems.”

“There is also sea level, if you warm the ocean more you will have more thermal expansion and therefore more sea level rise.”

As per the words of researchers, the heat being soaked in by ocean will lead to lower amount of oxygen in water. The heat will certainly get back to the environment if we manage to cool the atmosphere and lower down the effect of greenhouse gases.